Traction-engine.



No. 680,9l8. Patented Aug. 20, MM.

I .1. IE. HENRIS.

TRACTION ENGINE.

(Applicnbion'flled Jan. 11. 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet .m: Nonms vs'rzns w, Pub'roumm WASNINGTON, a c,

No. 680,9I8. Patented Aug. 20, 190i.

.u. E. HENBIS,

TRACTION ENGINE. {Application Bled Jun. 11, 1901.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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JOHN E. IIENRIS, OF SARATOGA, CALIFORNIA.

TRACTION ENGBNE.

srncrrrcarion forming part of Letters Patent No. 680, dated August 1901- Application filed January 11, 1901. Serial No. 2,861. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. HENRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saratoga, county of Santa Clara, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Traction- Engines; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a novel construction of an engine for traction purposes, having an endless track so connected therewith that it will be constantly laid for the wheels to travel upon. It consists, essentially, of two main drivers Whose shaft supports the driving mechanism, rollers in front and in rear of and in line with that of the drivers, an endless track upon each of these sets of Wheels, means for keeping the track in proper position thereon, elastic connections between the sections forming the track, which prevent the track from being forced up between the wheels on soft ground and which serve to keep the dirt from clogging the spaces between the sections, and of details more fully to be set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a rear end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a portion of the endless track.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of great traction-power, and, further, to increase its efficiency by providing a firm surface for the engine to travel on, especially in cases where the ground is soft. The manner in which I secure these results will be seen from the following description, with reference to the drawings, in which- A represents a boiler of any suitable construction mounted upon the dropped portion 2 of the shaft 2 of the main drivers 3. The drivers of such an engine are usually about three feet wide, and in order to get sufficient strength I have made mine with the rim in two portions, giving really two rims 3, each with its own set of spokes 3, with both sets secured in the same hub 3'.

4E represents the cylinders, from which power may be transmitted to the drivers in a variety of ways. I have done this by conneoting each of the piston-rods 5 to the crank of a fly-wheel 6. The shaft of this fly-wheel has a pinion engaging a cog-wheel 7, and the latter has a pinion upon its shaft, which eugages with a gear 8 upon the spokes of the driver 3. Steam is delivered to the cylinder through the pipe 9 and its branches lO. At the intersection of the latter pipes in the pipe 9 is a two-way cook 11, by which the steam to the cylinder is controlled and the steering of the engine efiected.

Pivoted upon the axle at either side of the hub of the drivers are brackets 12, which carry at their outer ends the small wheels or rollers 13. The arbors of these rollers are movably journaled in the slots 14. of the brackets. Each of these rollers is held in a yoke 15, and a spring 16 bears against a'brace 12 and the yoke in such manner as always to keep the roller upon the ground and steady the engine. The object of the slot and the springs is to allow the rollers to adjust themselves to any unevenness in the ground, to take up slack in the track, the.

Passing over the wheel and rollers on each side of the. machine is the endless belt or track B. This track consists of the sections 17, held together by cables 18, passing through longitudinal projections 19 on the sections. The drivers and rollers over which these tracks are laid are provided with circumferential grooves 20, into which the cables fit, and with transverse depressions for theprojeotions 19 on the sections of the track. By means of these grooves and depressions any displacement whatever of the track is prevented. Between the sections I place springs 20, which act to press the sections apart and prevent in a great degree the curving upward of the track between the drivers and rollers when the weight of the engine rests upon the track. These springs materially decrease this hogging and make an almost horizontal track even when the engine is traveling in soft ground. They also serve by their continued movement to loosen up any dirt which may be forced between the sections and prevent it from clogging the movement of the sections about the wheel. Upon the bottom of the sections are the overlapping plates 21, which cover the interstices between the sections, increase the bearing surface of the track, and, further, prevent the admission of dirt between the sections. A frame or yoke 22 surrounds each of the drivers and is pivoted on the axle. From these yokes lead the draft-rods 23, to which the load to be drawn is connected. The shape of the axle 2 and the position of the driving mechanism thereon insures an upright position always of this mechanism. The whole weight of the engine is carried practically on the drivers, and consequently all this weight is utilized in propulsion. There is no need for a steeringwheel, as the steering is done by the admission of more or less steam to one or the other of the cylinders. The track forms a hard surface of considerable area, sufficient to support the engine and cause the wheels to travel upon a hard surface, so that they will be efficient in applying the power to propel the machine, no matter what the nature of the ground may be.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. A traction-engine having the driving mechanism mounted and supported upon the shaft of the drivers, a smaller wheel in front and in rear of each driver, and an endless track carried upon the drivers and these smaller wheels, and upon which they are supported.

2. A traction-engine having two main drivers, the axle of these drivers having a dropped portion upon which the driving mechanism is mounted and supported, each of said drivers being made with their rims circumferentially divided and supported upon a double set of spokes in the hub, a smaller wheel in front and in rear of each of said drivers, and an endless track carried thereon, and means by which this track is kept from displacement.

3. In a traction-engine, an endless selflaying track consisting of transverse sections, springs interposed between these sections, and means whereby these sections are held together.

4. In a traction-engine, an endless selflaying track,consisting of transverse sections, springs interposed between these sections, plates upon the bottom of these sections, which plates are adapted to overlap one another and cover the interstices between the sections and means by which the sections are held together.

5. In a traction-engine, an endless selflaying track comprising transverse sections, means by which these sections are united and held upon cables, springs between these sections by which the sections are separated, and plates upon the bottom of the sections adapted to cover the interstices between the sections.

6. In a traction-engine, two main drivers having their axle provided with a dropped portion on which is supported the driving mechanism, consisting of a boiler and cylinders by which each driver may be operated independently, a steam-pipe leading from the boiler and having a branch extending to each cylinder, a two-way cock at the junction of these pipes whereby the admission of steam to the cylinders is controlled and whereby the steering of the engine is effected.

7. The combination in a traction-engine of two main drivers, upon the axle of which the driving mechanism is mounted and supported, means by which these drivers are driven in unison or independently, and by which means the steering is effected, a small wheel in front and in rear of each driver carried adj ustablyin brackets pivoted upon the axle of the drivers, endless belts or tracks carried upon the drivers and wheels upon each side of the engine, each of said tracks consisting of transverse sections, having perforated longitudinal projections upon one side, endless cables extending through these perforations, springs between the sections and overlapping plates upon the bottom of the sections, circumferential grooves and transverse depressions in the drivers, and small wheels'in which the cables and projections on the sections are respectively adapted to rest and by which the tracks are held in position upon the drivers and wheels.

In witness whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand.

JOHN E. HENRIS. Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, J ESSIE O. BRODIE. 

